D'Antoni says Lakers have to fix 'anemic' offense

"We don't move the ball," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We don't do a lot of things we should be doing and we have to figure that out." KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

EL SEGUNDO – There isn't much to say when your team just lost for the third time in four games and scored only 77 points, so Mike D'Antoni didn't try. He was clear and concise when asked if he was seeing signs that the Lakers are starting to catch onto his fast-paced style.

"No," he said bluntly. "Next (question)."

The obvious question is how long will the Lakers stumble around in D'Antoni's system before the season becomes a bust?

The Lakers (7-8) get another chance Friday to prove to their coach that they are learning the ropes in a home game against Denver.

"Within the numbers, there is some good stuff, defensively mostly," D'Antoni said. "Stuff that in the long run will make us a contender. In the short run, our offense is anemic right now. We don't move the ball, we don't do a lot of things we should be doing and we have to figure that out.

"We have to get better than 77 points."

The Lakers struggled to reach that mark in Tuesday's 79-77 loss to Indiana. D'Antoni said missing 20 free throws didn't help. He said the team has its share of problems.

"That's hard to do," he said. "You have to be a special team to do that."

Like everyone else, D'Antoni is counting on point guard Steve Nash to save the Lakers. The Lakers have been without Nash since he suffered a fractured left leg in the second game of the season and there is no set date for his return. He has not been able to jog on the leg yet.

"We have to get him back," D'Antoni said. "In Phoenix, when he went out, we had trouble hitting 100 points. I hope he has the same effect here.

"His effect will be big. If we have these problems when he is there, then we have to sit down and examine some stuff. But I expect a lot of this stuff will go away (when Nash returns.)

In the meantime, D'Antoni said the Lakers need to break their old offensive habits and improve defensively.

Metta World Peace said there's nothing wrong with the team as is.

"We're 7-8 right now. That's where we stand. There's no learning curve here. What you see right now, that's who we are," World Peace said. "It's not tough. We're OK. We just have to go out and get the next one (game.) We're 7-8 and we have to go get the next one.

"We just have to play more games and get our record up."

FISHER IS BACK

Derek Fisher, who helped the Lakers win five NBA championships, signed a free agent deal with the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, extending his 16-year NBA career for another season.

World Peace was happy to see his former teammate latch onto another team after Oklahoma City declined to keep Fisher after they lost to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

"He's in a good position because he's one of the best players in the NBA," World Peace said. "I was sure somebody was going to pick him up. He had options, he told me he had options, but he was waiting for the right situation.

"He's with a great team and a great coach. That coach is good; Coach Carlisle is amazing. I hope they gel because Fish brings a lot to the table. He's amazing."

Fisher played in 1,173 career games with the Lakers, Golden State, Utah and Oklahoma City, averaging 8.6 points and 3.1 assists in regular-season games.

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